MAGIC! NOW YOU SEE IT. NOW YOU DON’T.

Magic
“Sandra’s seen a leprechaun,
Eddie touched a troll,
Laurie danced with witches once,
Charlie found some goblins gold.
Donald heard a mermaid sing,
Susy spied an elf,
But all the magic I have known
I’ve had to make myself.”
― Shel Silverstein, Where the Sidewalk Ends

Abracadabra. Magic that tricks the eye. The rabbit-in-the-hat trick. The guess-which-card trick.

My husband and I were in Amsterdam when we discovered that there was magic a half an hour away at The Escher Museum in The Hague, home of the World Court and the capital of the Netherlands. One takes an easy thirty minute train ride from the Centraal Railway Station in Amsterdam. You stroll down a cobblestone street, lined with leafy trees and charming international embassies.

At the end of this passage is the Escher Museum, a former Royal Palace.

In my world of art, magic is often created through the manipulation of patterns and images. M.C. Escher was a master of magical optical illusions. I’d been somewhat aware of his magical drawings, but I had never experienced the excitement and genius of his artistic vision until I visited his collection.

Once inside, I felt a bit like Alice in a Wonderland created by a master who tricks the eye.

There were interactive displays. That’s me in the orb mimicking Escher’s drawing of himself.

On the top floor, we were magically transformed into Big Alice and the Mad Hatter.

These chandeliers were created by the Rotterdam artist, Hans van Bentem. He designed them especially for the museum. I think they’re knock out gorgeous and create a delightfully playful atmosphere.

I suddenly realized that I had a connection with Escher. I had previously created a series of paintings incorporating geometric patterns, gold leaf and flowers. I wanted them to be opulent, complex and to draw the viewer into the image. I would spend hours and hours working out the mathematics of the patterns so they would fit perfectly. I loved fooling the eye by creating sensuous, folded silken fabrics that surrounded the flowers giving the illusion of three dimensions.

Where did my love of pattern come from? Maybe it’s my Russian heritage. I remember one day, getting dressed for school in a checkered skirt and flowered blouse. I loved the way I looked but my mother was horrified. “You never wear checks and flowers together, never!” I was devastated. I thought I looked so stylish. While I followed my mothers rules as a young person, once I became an artist, all bets were off. I painted with pattern and passion, freely mixing diverse elements to my heart’s content. This was the real me.

I get it, Escher!

All images appearing on MAGIC! NOW YOU SEE IT. NOW YOU DON’T. are the expressed property of Sandra Sallin. All rights reserved. In other words, don’t steal it!

Jenny -What amazing attention to detail! Even the screws on the mirror the hands are resting on, the alligators and the book with the crumpled corner! And what can you say about the 3d drawing of the buildings. You must have spent ages in the museum. Also your own detailed pattern paintings, love them. Off to do some research on Escher. Just the sort of post to get the imagination moving, many thanks. JENNYReplyCancel

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sandra -Jenny, so glad it stimulated your interest in Escher. Yes, I spent a great deal of time in front of each piece of work. It was fascinating. We were the last to leave the museum. The children enjoyed the museum also.ReplyCancel

sandra -Thanks Randy. You have no idea how I struggled to find the right voice for this piece.ReplyCancel

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A Pleasant ouse-I’ve always be fascinated by Escher. My parents had one of his first published coffee table sized art books (1960’s) Would look at it for hours. And YOUR art work continues to amaze!!! The cartoon is priceless. Great Post Sandra!ReplyCancel

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sandra -Thanks Cheryl. I was so worried that people would not know who Escher was.I spent and inordinate amount of time looking at the drawings. They really draw you in and it’s hard to move on. Just loved it and hope this introduces more people to this wonderful museum experience. I mean if you’re in Amsterdam it’s so easy to get to The Hague.ReplyCancel

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Kymberly-What great images, especially the ones of your art work and you and your hubster. And our mom also had a lot of fashion rules, which do still float in my head such as redheads don’t wear red. Go for those patterns mixing and matching (or not!)ReplyCancel

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sandra -Thanks Kimberly. Please wear red with your beautiful red hair. That would be gorgeous. A tribute to your own style. Yes!ReplyCancel

Alexandra Williams -I definitely know Escher’s works, as our mom took us to lots of galleries and museums when we were growing up. And I’ve even been to the museum in Amsterdam. But forget all that. What I want to know is, when are you sending those two beautiful pieces to me (Éclat & Lumingy)? My birthday was in August. I’m waiting patiently. I also have Russian heritage and don’t care if you mix your patterns. spacibo! ReplyCancel

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sandra -Thanks Alexandra, I’m so sorry but one of the paintings is sold and the other is in my own collection. How lucky that you have been to so many musuems. I adore museums. We kind of plan our trips around artwork I want to see. Thanks for the permission to mix patterns. I think my mother as an immigrant wanted us to “not stand-out.”ReplyCancel

Kristi Rieger Campbell -You are so amazingly talented. Honestly, looking at your paintings at the end, they look like they could be serving trays – three dimensional ones. Except that I’d never put food on a tray that looks like that! How cool that you were able to go to the Escher museum. Beautiful! Truly truly. ReplyCancel

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sandra -Thanks Kriti. Glad you enjoyed. Never thought of them as trays. Glad you wouldn’t put anything on them. Yes, it was a treat going to the Escher Museum.ReplyCancel

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Leora-Escher – what fun! I love all the patterns. He must have had quite an imagination. Such skill.ReplyCancel

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sandra -He really was a genius. You need extrodinary math skills to draw this way. The museum was truly a revelation to me.ReplyCancel

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Andrew Brandt -I also like the size distortion room. Still trying to wrap my mind around how he did the tiles. Always love see Escher’s sketches. Good think they didn’t try to build a new museum in the style of Escher – you’d be going up stairs and getting turned around.ReplyCancel

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sandra -The distortion room is a hoot. They got other eye magic up on the third floor to play around with. Great museum to take children to.ReplyCancel

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Susan Cooper-I love photos that really create an optical illusion. I really helps play with the mind and makes a person think. 🙂ReplyCancel

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sandra -Susan it was dificult for me to leave the museum. I was just fascinated by his work. In fact we closed up the museum. I hope this post inspires people to visit The Hague.ReplyCancel

sandra -Did you see Prince Phillip and Queen Eilzabeth in the vase? Love it. Thanks for reading.ReplyCancel

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Suzanne Fluhr (Boomeresque)-I am feeling very inadequate. I can’t find Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip in the vase. I’m afraid that I’m not very visual–even though I was raised by an artist! Thanks for sharing your experience in the Escher Museum. A day trip to The Hague looks worthwhile — not to mention that I think it’s cool for a city to call itself “The” anything.

Aha!! I went back and looked at the vase again. This time, I decided to look at the “negative” space and voilà, there they are!

BTW, I really like the paintings where you played with pattern.ReplyCancel

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sandra -Suzanne, I didn’t see the faces in the beginning also. Pretty fine artist wouldn’t you say? Glad you enjoyed the pattern paintings.ReplyCancel

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Catarina Alexon -Great pictures. Personally love the Hague and spent quite a lot of time there when I worked for a while in Holland. Having said that Amsterdam is another interesting place and so is actually Rotterdam. You find a lot of interesting places in all three cities. ReplyCancel

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Jeri-This looks like so much fun. If all goes well, I will be in Amsterdam next year on a layover. I probably wouldn’t have time to fit this in, but it I had a few days, I know I would add it to my list.ReplyCancel

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sandra -Jeri enjoy Amsterdam. If you want to see the Ann Frank Museum go about an hour and a half before closing. There won’t be a line. Tip of the day.ReplyCancel

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Take Charge Now -This is just too cool! I have now added this to my bucket list – thank you for sharing 🙂ReplyCancel

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sandra -The Hague is a delightful place to visit. I just touched on one aspect. I would love to go back and explore some more.ReplyCancel

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beth teliho-I’m so jealous you got to see the museum! I’m a huge fan. My dad used to have this big book about him and I would stare and stare at his art, and my brother even has one of his drawings as a tattoo on his back! Something with a mummy being wrapped around a face or something…haven’t seen it in years, I’d have to look it up to remember which Escher it is.

Your paintings…omg…stunning. Wow. just wow. and I absolutely love how you have your blog set up with all the photos that are links to your posts. How clever! I’m going to play around now and read more of your posts…..ReplyCancel

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sandra -Thanks Beth, I was delightfully surprised at the museum and The Hague. I would go back in a minute.I’m amazed at how much mathematics play a part in his art. Truly a genius.ReplyCancel

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LA CONTESSA-YOU did MATH to PAINT!
OMG!YOU ARE AMAZING!!!!!!!!!
LOVED HOLLAND……..it has been years since I was there……..LAND of the TULIPS!!!ReplyCancel

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sandra -Not only land ot the tulips but truly land of great significant art! Love those Netherlandish painters.ReplyCancel